1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to electronically addressed deformable media light modulators and how to enhance the performance attainable by such devices.
2. Prior Art
As identified in the patent application admitted to Craig D. Engle titled Poppet Valve Modulator, Ser. No. 08/020,692 filing date Feb. 22, 1993, and the article "Viscoelastic Control Layers for Solid State Light Valves" by R. Tepe et al, SPIE Vol. 684 Liquid Crystals and Spatial Light Modulation Materials, spatial light modulators for use in electronic to optical data conversion applications, such as home use HDTV, are preferably electronically addressed. In addition, electronic addressing facilitates packaging.
Efficiency of a spatial light modulator is an important consideration.
Several spatial light modulators developed for applications involving electronic to optical data conversion applications have utilized a reflective deformable conductor affixed to a deformable media, such as a polymer, to impart a phase modulation to a wavefront incident upon the conductor. As identified in application Ser. No. 08/020,692, electronically addressed spatial light modulators utilizing a deformable reflective conductor suffer from multitude of complications.
As identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,602, to Glenn, Nov. 7, 1989, use of a reflective, deformable conductor results in less than optimal reflectivity value for the conductor. This is attributed to compromises which must be made in the thickness of the conductor to influence the sensitivity of the surface deformations.
Impact of less than optimal reflection valves are identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,602 and includes intrusion of incident light onto the photosensitive electronic addressing components. As to be shown herein, my invention enhances the sensitivity of electronically addressed deformable media light modulators without such adverse effects.
Furthermore, use of a reflective deformable conductor precludes the wavefront from traversing the deformable media. As identified in patent application Ser. No. 08/020,692, allowing a wavefront to traverse a transmissive deformable media enhances modulator sensitivity as a function of the index of refraction of the media.